I'm thinking of buying a Savage varmint rifle to use for building my .260. I figured its easier to go with the varmint model so the barrel swap will be a drop in rather than trying to inlet the stock for the heavy barrel I want to use.
I was looking at barrel wrenches and they say they fit the model 10 and 110 series. The varmint models are a 12 series. Will this wrench still work, or am I out of luck? Also, can I use any short action Savage or does it have to be a .243/.308 so the bolt face is the correct size?

Think I would give savage a call and get a price in building you a 260 in the model 12.You may come out a lot cheaper unless you allready have the action and stock.

I'm still looking into that option but Savage's custom shop is closed for vacation at the moment. As I understand they only made .260 barrels with a 1 in 9 twist and I would rather have a 1 in 8 twist for the type of shooting I intend to do. I hope to get out tomorrow to do some looking, maybe I'll get lucky and find a good used one.

When my buddie called he told the lady a 1;8 twist.If I talk to him tomorrow I will find out exactly what he told her he wanted and the price.I am thinking a model 12 ss,laminated stock,fluted barrel but will check with him to make sure.

Ok thanks. I plan on calling them anyway just to check things out, but I was curious about the wrench issue and the bolt face in case I decide to build my own.

The wrench will work. It might take a lot of work but it'll eventually do it. Now that is of course if you have an action wrench, a barrel vise, a lots okroil and a high temperature air blower.

It's not too late to sporterize a nice Swede and use a well designed good balanced cartridge. roger

Rowdy, you can use any action that you have, the bolt heads interchange in about 2 minutes. The only ones to stay away from are the actions chambered in the WSM cartridges, the newer ones have a larger barrel shank size and your new barrel will have to fit that.

Rowdy,

As Roger Suggested the initial taking off the barrel from the factory will be a chore because it will be almost like it is welded on there...

So just take it to a gunsmith and have him remove it for you the first.. money spent, will be worth the investment of frustration you saved yourself from...

of course if you get a 12 BVSS in 22/250, 243 or 308, you will already have the correct bolt head for the 260...

if you get one in 223, you can get a bolt head from Midway for $19.00.. and as Fjold says, it takes about 2 minutes to change.. I just ordered a bolt head in 308 bolt face and one in 223, for a long action 116 that is currently in 7 Rem Mag.. both bolt heads cost me $41.33 to be delivered to my doorstep...

As far as a 260 barrel, a one in 8 is recommended if you need to shoot 140 and 142 grain Bullets... a one in 9 WILL work for everything lighter than 130 grains......

I have a long action 116 stainless Savage with Accutrigger.. and a short action with an Accu Trigger in my 12 BVSS....

I need a decent stock for the 116, which is on order from Richards.. and the bolt heads are due here from Midway next week....

ER Shaw can deliver barrels chambered and ready to go for $150.00 in a Savage Varmint contour...

http://www.sharpshootersupply.com/

They can deliver a turn key barrel in 260 for $305.00, which will be a Douglas barrel...and have a one in 8 twist.. Shaws would be a one in 9...

But that gives you some options to work with...

personally I think you are on the right path.. I will not give up my Rem VLS in 260.. but If I didn't have it, I'd be following the same path as you are contemplating pursuing for your 260 project...

Also check out Midway, they may have some A & B barrels or some Shilen's available for what you are looking for also...A & B's will be cheap.. the Shilen's about the $300.00 range...to me you are paying more for the name....

Shilens may be a better barrel, but I am not a better shooter with one over an A & B or a Shaw....

But you are doing good, and heading in the right direction....
cheers
seafire

I'd be awfully tempted to have them fit me a 6.5x284. The USMC has proven it's accuracy and range at the Camp Perry 1000 yard matches.

Rich
DRSS

quote:

As far as a 260 barrel, a one in 8 is recommended if you need to shoot 140 and 142 grain Bullets... a one in 9 WILL work for everything lighter than 130 grains......

I plan on doing mostly target work so I was looking toward a 1 in 8. Will a 1 in 8 twist still work for lighter weight bullets on varmints within 200 to 300 yards? I doubt I would ever shoot anything under 120 grains.

I have both one in 8 twist and one in 9 on my personal 260's....

There is no limiting factor on lighter bullets.. at least down to 85 grain Sierras...

Both will work great.. in fact the only lighter bullet that I have not had much accuracy luck with in any 6.5 mm that I own, is the 95 grain V Max.. I don't know why, but I can't get them to shoot with a crap, with any load, or with any twist, in any caliber...
Other than that, it is clear sailing...

Back in "66" I built a fast twist 6.5X284. With heffty but reasonable loads EVERY bullet 140 grains and under that I tried, spun apart. The enemic .260 probably would not have that problem???

The 156gr. and 160 gr. bullets would enter a deer perhaps 6 to 9 inches and erupt like a hand granade. Doubtfull you,ll see this effect with the .260 as when using these heavy bullets your velocity will be curtailed by the fact that your capacity will be reduced significantly when you have to push the bullet so far into the powder room.

Are you sure you don't want a better designed 6.5? roger

I can't legally hunt deer with a rifle in my state, its shotgun, muzzle loader, handgun, or archery only. About the only reasonable thing I could use it on is coyotes and my .223 is more than adequate for that task. I wouldn't mind taking my rifles out west to make some prairie dogs explode someday but other than that I don't plan on hunting with it much if at all.

Have a little experience with swap barrel Savages.

Would avoid the idea entirely due to its addictive nature.

Instead, take up collecting race horses, aerobatic airplanes, or wives.

I checked with the fellow that called savage and he said the lady he talked to said that they would put any twist he wanted in it.That he didn't remember what all he was considering at the time but the total price was under $600.
He said he hadn't given them the ok to go with it yet.
Roger have you ever shot a deer with a 260?
The last one I shot with one was 442 yds,little hole going in and big hole coming out,it took about 12 slow steps and dropped.With a 120 gr bullet so you don't really need those big bullets in the 260.

quote:

Originally posted by owensby:
Roger have you ever shot a deer with a 260?
The last one I shot with one was 442 yds,little hole going in and big hole coming out,it took about 12 slow steps and dropped.With a 120 gr bullet so you don't really need those big bullets in the 260.

I have not, but I have killed numbers of mule deer with many other 6.5s like the Arasaka, Carcano, 6.5X55 and the 6.5X.284. The 442 yard shot is beyond my capability to reasonably place a killing shot most times. I only did that once and that was with a 22-250 about 41 years ago. I always figured I was young, dumb and lucky. All kidding aside I think the 120gr. bullet in the .260 is a totally adequate combination for deer size animals but would take a back seat to a 25-06 with the same weight well construckted bullet.

Further, I think that in a larger action with a deep throat the .260 with the 160 grain bullet would be good for Elk size game. Try not to let anyone know I said that. I just don't like short necks, magazines and throats.

roger

Great. The Savage factory is shut down for vacation until next Monday but I'll give them a call and check on a custom model 12.
Would it be possible to build a long action .260? Would this allow seating larger bullets out farther to increase the case volume, or would I run into pressure problems? Just a thought.

quote:

Originally posted by rowdyredneck:
Great. Would it be possible to build a long action .260? Would this allow seating larger bullets out farther to increase the case volume, .

Yes!!!! It's been done I'm sure. Why am I sure? Because there are a fair number of intelligent riflemen and women that reload. Oh my ! roger

roger

Believe it was last year a fellow at the range had a 6.5 rem mag built with a short action.Said he done it his self.